It is the last week the House is scheduled to be in session prior to the August recess. The House returns to session today (Monday, July 20) with suspension votes beginning at 6:30 p.m. on bills under the jurisdiction of the Energy and Commerce Committee, including the FDA Modernization Act 3.0 (H.R. 2821), the Accelerating Access to Dementia and Alzheimer's Provider Training (AADAPT) Act (H.R. 3747), the NIH IMPROVE Act (H.R. 6238), and a bill (H.R. 2001) addressing dental workforce needs.

A House floor vote on the FY2027 budget resolution approved by the Budget Committee July 16 is planned for this week. The resolution would provide for a $95 billion budget reconciliation bill: $73 billion in defense and intelligence funds related to the Iran war; $12 billion in aid to farmers; and $10 billion for measures aimed at voter fraud. Notably absent are instructions to the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee and any health care instructions related to savings in social safety net programs.

Some House Republicans have concerns about the lack of spending cuts, and others about the entire premise of the bill. A story in the weekend Wall Street Journal, "Trump's Military-Funding Demands Collide with Internal GOP Politics," said, "Already, some GOP lawmakers are balking, saying they need more information on the Iran war as well as the details of the package." The story quoted Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) as saying, "We're going to need to be walked through why it's important, what the long game is with this resolution and legislation, and what they're attaching to it."

Some members want to do more but feel the voter ID provisions are a sufficient impetus and are cognizant of the challenges in the Senate. On Sunday Morning Futures, Ways and Means member Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) said, "We have to get it through the Senate with the realities of what's going on in the Senate. I'd love to do a huge reconciliation bill and continue to drive down taxes and the regulatory burden and help our small businesses, which drive our economy … Reconciliation, if we want to get the SAVE America Act on … we can get that through."

The Senate will be in session beyond this week, but there are questions about how the budget resolution and related budget reconciliation plan will be received in that chamber. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said last week that members would await what the House sends over but noted that the dynamics of reconciliation are different in the Senate. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI), who took over the Budget Committee chairmanship following the passing of Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), has long expressed concerns about spending levels and indicated there will be members who want the current package paid for.

Still, some Senators are optimistic. On Sunday Morning Futures, Senate Finance Committee member Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) expressed confidence about the effort. "I fully believe that you're going to see us move forward with the reconciliation bill," she said.

And, there are also the pressures of providing defense funding, and the sense that the Senate will be compelled to act if the House effort is successful. "The Senate GOP leadership has shown little interest in taking up the House's budget resolution as it stands. But the Pentagon needs money to fund the Iran war. Senate Republicans are going to come under increasing pressure to join the reconciliation fight so the Defense Department can get the tens of billions of dollars it says it needs," Punchbowl News reported on Friday, July 17. "There is other drama down the road as well. The reconciliation bill is certain to include elements of SAVE but not the full bill."

It was suggested on Fox Sunday Morning that Senator Thom Tillis (R-SC) could block a bill with SAVE America Act voter ID provisions in it, citing a quote from Tillis: "If I see a reconciliation bill come from the House with another failed attempt to confuse this election, I will use every device I have available to slow down the wills of government until people cop a clue and do the math."

Additionally, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) on Thursday proposed bringing up a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government beyond the November election and through December 4 before the House recesses for August. House leaders have mapped out an ambitious floor schedule. Along with the budget resolution and spending CR, Republicans plan votes on a stock-trading ban for members that will be paired with a voter ID measure and the giant, must-pass annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

There have been indications that the Ways and Means Committee could hold a markup as soon as this week on nonprofit bills, though it has not been noticed. Bills introduced at the end of last week included:

• Rep. Lloyd Smucker's (R-PA) Fiscal Sponsorship Transparency Act of 2026 (H.R. 9721), to require reporting by certain charitable organizations relating to fiscal sponsorship arrangements
• Rep. Blake Moore's (R-UT) Fair Treatment of Religious Organizations Act of 2026 (H.R. 9722), to ensure fair treatment of certain charitable organizations
• Rep. Nicole Malliotakis' (R-NY) Stopping Foreign Influence in Elections Act (H.R. 9771), to impose penalties on political committees that accept foreign contributions
• Rep. Dave Schweikert's (R-AZ) Foreign Funding Transparency Act (H.R. 9772), to require disclosure by certain tax-exempt organizations of information relating to foreign contributions

The House Energy and Commerce Committee and House Education and Workforce Committee are scheduled to consider health care bills and other bills under their jurisdiction today and tomorrow (July 20-21).

The Senate also returns to session today (July 20) with a vote on a judicial nomination at 5:30 p.m.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is scheduled to testify before the Senate Finance Committee on July 22 at 10 a.m. for the annual hearing on the 2026 Trade Policy Agenda. The hearing was previously scheduled for April 23 but was postponed after a late-night Senate budget vote-a-rama.

The Senate HELP Committee will hold an executive session to review 13 health-related bills on Wednesday, July 22 at 10 a.m.